Tag: Tim Walz

Statements from Speaker Hortman and Majority Leader Winkler on Republican Senate removing Commerce Commissioner Steve Kelley

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SAIN PAUL, MINNESOTA — Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler released the following statements on the Republican Senate removing Commerce Commissioner Steve Kelley.

“Governor Walz and his administration are trying to combat a global pandemic and instead of working with him, Senate Republicans are actively making it harder to fight this virus,” said Speaker Hortman. “It’s irresponsible for Republicans to continue to target individuals over a political disagreement with the Governor.”

“Sabotaging government agencies during a pandemic is as dangerous as it is shameless,” said House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler. “The GOP should be using this special session to work on bipartisan COVID relief for Minnesota families and businesses – not to brag about executing hostages and undermining public health. This reckless vote is proof that the Republican majority is unfit to lead the Senate during the greatest crisis of our lifetimes.”

Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov Flanagan Update: September 9, 2020

September 9, 2020

Updates from the Governor

Governor Tim Walz today announced that he will convene a special legislative session beginning on September 11, 2020. Governor Walz intends to extend the COVID-19 peacetime emergency by 30 days to ensure the state can continue to quickly and effectively respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While Minnesota has taken life-saving action, the threat of COVID-19 remains,” said Governor Walz.“It’s imperative that we have the tools necessary to respond to this rapidly-evolving virus quickly and decisively in order to safeguard the health and wellbeing of each and every Minnesotan.” 

“COVID-19 is unpredictable, and there is still so much that we do not know,” said Lt. Governor Flanagan. “This pandemic is not over. With the fall and winter months fast approaching, we know the next stages of this virus will continue to present a challenge, especially to underserved communities. We must be prepared to respond quickly and efficiently in order to keep all Minnesotans healthy, safe, and informed.”

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Republicans could oust more of Gov. Tim Walz’s agency heads

Senators see leverage over what they call overreach. 

Several state agency leaders’ jobs — and the fraying relationship between GOP lawmakers and Gov. Tim Walz — could hang in the balance of an upcoming special session of the Legislature.

The DFL governor is expected to call the fourth session of the summer on Friday, despite the possibility that Senate Republicans could use the occasion to vote out more members of his administration.

Republican opposition to the governor’s use of emergency powers for the pandemic came to a head in August when they rejected Nancy Leppink as the leader of the Department of Labor and Industry. Continue reading.

Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: September 8, 2020

September 8, 2020

Updates from the Governor

Today, Governor Tim Walz, a classroom teacher for more than 20 years, launched a statewide Safe Learning Tour. He and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan kicked-off the start of the 2020-21 school year by visiting students and educators in-person and virtually. With this school year looking different than normal, they thanked educators, students, and parents for their flexibility during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the next few weeks, the Governor and Lieutenant Governor will visit with students and educators at schools across the state, including Wyoming, Bloomington, Mankato, Saint Paul, Moorhead, Duluth, and more.

Following Minnesota’s Safe Learning Plan, school districts and charter schools are beginning the school year in one of three models: in-person learning, hybrid learning, or distance learning. Experts at the Departments of Health and Education have partnered with local school districts and charter schools to help determine which learning model they should use to start the school year. The Departments of Education and Health will continue to work with school districts and local health professionals throughout the school year to track the virus and determine if and when a school may need to adjust their learning plan.

With any learning model – in-person, hybrid, or distance – the Governor and Lt. Governor remain focused on supporting Minnesota schools to deliver an equitable education that strives to meet the needs of every student in our Pre-K through grade 12 education system.

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Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: September 4, 2020

September 4, 2020

Updates from the Governor

As Minnesota continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, many families are facing unprecedented challenges due to the economic and public health consequences. Below is a list of financial, mental and physical health, and family resources available for support. 

Testing: Minnesotans with COVID-19 symptoms are always encouraged to get a test. Find a testing location in your community. 

Safety at Home: Stay At Home should never mean you stay somewhere unsafe. There are places of sanctuary open for anyone facing abuse or violence. Please call Minnesota’s statewide crisis hotline – available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – at 1.866.223.1111 or text 612.399.9995. 

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Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: September 3, 2020

September 3, 2020

Updates from the Governor

Heading into fall, Governor Tim Walz, Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, and Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm today urged Minnesotans to double down in their efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19. Currently at over 30 percent, Minnesota’s rate of community transmission is at a high and sustained level.

“As we head into the fall and the long winter ahead, we must double down in our fight to combat the spread of COVID-19,” said Governor Walz. “We must all do our part to slow the spread, protect our communities, and keep our businesses open. I know it is hard, but Minnesotans are resilient people. We must dig deep, stay strong, and hold the virus at bay.”

“I know it is incredibly difficult to not hug your grandparents. It can be awkward to ask your friends to wear a mask. It’s a hassle to keep sanitizing your hands. But just because you’re over the pandemic, doesn’t mean it’s over you,” said Lt. Governor Flanagan. “As the weather grows colder and we approach flu season, it is more important than ever that we take strict precautions to slow the spread of COVID-19.”

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Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: September 2, 2020

September 2, 2020

Updates from the Governor

Today, Governor Tim Walz announced that teachers, school staff, and childcare providers across the state have received access to their free COVID-19 saliva test, totaling more than 250,000 tests. The saliva tests are part of the Safe Learning Plan for the 2020-21 School Year and consistent with Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan’s commitment to providing access to COVID-19 testing for Minnesotans working in child care and prekindergarten to grade 12 schools.

“As a classroom teacher for more than 20 years and a parent of a child in public schools, I know that a safe classroom is the foundation for learning,” said Governor Walz. “Those educating and caring for Minnesota’s next generation deserve the peace of mind that these COVID-19 tests will provide.”

“All families in our state, including our littlest Minnesotans, want to know their teachers, school nutrition workers, and child care staff are supported. This means if they are exposed to COVID-19 as a frontline worker, we work to make sure they have access to testing,” said Lt Governor Flanagan. “Our goal is to create safe in-person learning for as many children as possible, and saliva tests are one piece of the puzzle to support that plan.”

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Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: August 26, 2020

August 26, 2020

Updates from the Governor

Governor Tim Walz proclaimed today, August 26, 2020, as Women’s Equality Day in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the 19th Amendment. August 26 represents the culmination of a 72-year campaign to extend the right to vote to women in the United States and serves as an ongoing symbol of the fight for equal rights. You can find the full proclamation here.

Additionally, Governor Walz today signed Executive Orders 20-85 and 20-86, which formalize Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) guidance regarding the total classroom occupancy allowed in higher education settings and allow cooperatives to waive in-person meeting requirements. You can find the Executive Orders here.

Minnesota’s COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program officially launched August 25, 2020. This CARES Act funded program allocates $100 million to cover housing expenses such as rent, mortgage, utilities, or other housing-related expenditures. This program will help keep folks in their homes and maintain housing stability for eligible renters and homeowners in communities across the state.

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Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: August 25, 2020

August 25, 2020

Updates from the Governor

Today, Governor Tim Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan announced that Minnesota has partnered with the nation’s leading distributor of saliva testing to create plans for a new lab in Minnesota, expanding and diversifying testing capacity for Minnesotans, creating jobs, and slowing the spread of COVID-19.

State officials are working to finalize the $14.66 million contract with Vault Health and RUCDR Infinite Biologics. Rutgers’ RUCDR Infinite Biologics holds the country’s first FDA Emergency Use AuthorizationPCR saliva test for COVID-19 while Vault Health provides logistics and telehealth services necessary to carry out the test. The planned lab will have the ability to more than double the state’s current test processing capacity. The contractors expect to have the lab up and running by early October. The funding is provided by the state’s federal CARES Act funding.

This new saliva lab will be capable of processing as many as 30,000 samples a day, if running 3 shifts. At full capacity, it would also create up to 250 jobs at its planned location in Oakdale, Minnesota. Currently, Minnesota’s testing capacity hovers between 20,000 and 22,000 tests per day. The rolling average of PCR COVID-19 tests processed daily in Minnesota labs is just under 14,000 a day.

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Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Update: August 24, 2020

August 24, 2020

Updates from the Governor

Minnesota’s $100 million COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program officially launched today, which will help prevent eviction and homelessness and maintain housing stability for eligible renters and homeowners. The program is funded by the federal CARES Act and is designed to cover expenses such as rent, mortgage, utilities, or other housing-related costs. 

Local administrators will review applications from individuals and families requesting assistance, verify eligibility, and process payments for eligible expenses on behalf of households. Minnesotans interested in applying and learning more about the program can begin the application process by calling Greater Twin Cities United Way’s 211 Resource Helpline (Toll Free: 1.800.543.7709; Local: 651.291.0211), visiting 211unitedway.org, or texting “MNRENT” or “MNHOME” to 898-211. The 211 helpline has dedicated multilingual staff available to answer questions about the COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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